Sweden's Migration Minister: Center Party Has Learned Nothing from Refugee Crisis

Sweden's migration minister, Johan Forssell, has sharply criticized the Center Party's approach to migration, accusing them of ignoring crucial facts and failing to learn from past crises. In a debate piece, Forssell argues that the Center Party's proposals would lead Sweden back to the unsustainable and problematic migration policies of 2015.

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The events in Ceuta clearly show that the global situation is very uncertain and that it is important to stay the course.

Forssell emphasized the government's willingness to assist Spain with the situation in Ceuta but stressed that Spain's own migration policies created vulnerabilities for the entire EU. He pointed to the rapid escalation in Ceuta as a stark reminder of how quickly control can be lost, especially with the influence of social media. This underscores the need for both secure EU external borders and increased Swedish preparedness, a point he feels the Center Party is neglecting.

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Contrary to what is claimed, the government has been clear that we are prepared to assist Spain in light of the tragic situation in Ceuta.

The minister drew a direct parallel to the 2015 refugee crisis, stating that Sweden's then-generous migration policy created incentives for asylum seekers without valid claims and was exploited by human smugglers. This resulted in Sweden receiving four times the EU average of asylum seekers per capita, leading to significant societal problems that he believes are still not acknowledged by left-leaning parties.

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But the importance of preparedness has unfortunately not reached the Center Party, which instead wants to stick its head in the sand until the crisis is at our own doorstep.

Forssell specifically called out the Center Party's proposal to sixfold the intake of quota refugees, in addition to other parties' demands for permanent residency permits, relaxed family reunification rules, and lenient policies for foreign nationals committing crimes. He contends that these are not minor adjustments but a fundamental return to the policies that caused immense challenges for Sweden.

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One lesson from the refugee crisis of 2015 is that the migration policy a country pursues and the signals it sends to the outside world matter.